


Ensnared

by QueenGlimmer



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora never finds the Sword AU, Alternate Universe - Adora Remains with the Horde (She-Ra), Alternate Universe - Slavery, Bright Moon (She-Ra), Dark, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Don't Like Don't Read, F/F, F/M, Most of the Horde ends up as slaves, Multi, Polyamory, Sharing a Bed, Slavery, Tags May Change, Violence, the Horde loses anyway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:13:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 14,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25211437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenGlimmer/pseuds/QueenGlimmer
Summary: When Princess Glimmer sees two Horde soldiers being sold as slaves in the marketplace, she doesn't think much of it. But when she finds those two slaves in her very own household, her world is turned upside down.
Relationships: Adora & Bow & Catra & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 141
Kudos: 388





	1. Betrayal

They were sold in a pair. Two scrawny wrists chained to each other, attached to even scrawnier bodies.  
They wouldn't have caught Glimmer's notice, if not for the odd mismatched eyes of the skinnier one. One blue eye and one gold eye glared at everyone around her with a hatred so intense it was breath-taking.  
  
Something about it made Glimmer feel funny, slightly weak in the knees.  
  
"Man, I wish your Mom would outlaw that." Bow said next to her, snapping her out of whatever trance the catgirl slave had her in.  
  
Glimmer rolled her eyes at her best friend. "This again? You know they were Horde scum. Goddess knows how many innocent people they killed."  
  
"I dont know Glimmer. Those two look like they're our age. how much damage could they do?"  
  
Glimmer eyed the hateful heterochromatic glare coming from the one slave, and the dull, unfeeling, stoic stare of the dirty blonde slave on the other side of her.  
  
How much damage could they do? They were Horde scum. they were probably bred in a lab to only feel hate and obedience. Glimmer felt disgust welling in her. Her irritation spilled into her voice.  
  
"Ugh! I dont want to argue about this AGAIN. Come on, the shop is going to close if we stand here all day."  
  
And with that she marched on, but Bow, glancing behind them, wasn't the only one who felt the intensity of those eyes on them as they moved.

  


💜

* * *

Glimmer, for a very long time, didn't think about the two slaves she'd seen for sale in the marketplace. She might have dreamed of those baleful mismatched eyes, or the girl next to her, stoic and sad peering out from matted blonde hair. But if she did she never remembered it once the night faded and she'd rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

Glimmer had almost forgotten them a few months later.

They definitely weren't on her mind when she was strolling down the palace hallway, with nothing planned other than meeting up with Bow for an artifact-hunting expedition.

She wouldn't have noticed the slender catgirl in the hall at all, if not for the gross splashy noise as her boot came down on a puddle of water, snapping her out of her daydreams of glory.

"Oops." The catgirl said, smirking. It was very obvious she was not sorry at all. "Clumsy me, cant even mop a floor right."

"What the hell are YOU doing here?" Glimmer asked, recognizing the Horde slave from that day a few months ago.  
  
"What do you mean?" Catra asked. "I've lived here for a month now Princess." she emphasized the last word as if it was a taunt, and put her arms behind her head, strolling off without a second glance toward Glimmer.  
  
Glimmer could feel her face grow hot with rage. As if any Horde scum had the right to turn their back on her, let alone talk to her like that!  
  
She balled her fists, and focused her magic to teleport. Even Catra's feline reflexes couldn't help her dodge a girl who teleported right on top of her, and started whaling on her.  
  
Glimmer had only gotten a few punches in when hands were pulling her off the former Horde soldier. Two Bright Moon royal guards with serious looks on their face hauled her up. Glimmer could teleport out of their hold, but the angry voice of her mother ringing down the hall froze her in place.  
  
"GLIMMER!" Queen Angella said, her voice bubbling with anger. "What are you doing young lady?"  
  
Glimmer was so flummoxed by this, she couldn't say anything for a moment, her mouth gaping.  
  
"ME?!" she shrieked. "Isn't it obvious? I'm trying to stop the Horde scum that broke in!"  
  
Said Horde scum had an innocent, downtrodden look on her face that Glimmer KNEW was fake. The Horde scum wobbled her bloody, swollen lower lip (Glimmer was satisfied to see the aftereffects of her work) and was given a sympathetic, kind glance from Queen Angella in return.  
  
"Horde scum? Glimmer, this is one of the former Horde soldiers we have invited into our home, to help them rehabilitate. I told you I was buying their contracts months ago." Queen Angella paused. "Were you not paying attention?"  
  
"I've been really busy! Getting ready for the Princess Prom. But this is not okay!" Glimmer yelled. "You brought them into our home?! On purpose?!"  
  
Glimmer felt like she was losing her mind. Surely everyone had to be playing a cruel, elaborate joke on her?! Haha guys!  
  
"Yes, Glimmer, as I told you before. You don't have to like it, but I expect you to treat the former Horde soldiers decently and humanely, the same as any other employee in the Palace."  
  
"Soldiers?! There's more?!" Glimmer was starting to hyperventilate.  
  
Queen Angella's face softened. "Right now there are only two. Catra, who you've met" she nodded to the catgirl who was licking her wounds, "and Adora, who I will introduce you to so there will not be any more surprises."  
  
"I don't believe this!" Glimmer said, and started crying. "Treat them nicely? They killed Dad!"  
  
She turned around and ran away, only to disappear a few seconds later, before her mother could reach out for her. She had to get to Bow. She had to make the world make sense.


	2. Home

The saltwater in Catra's wounds fucking stung. Adora's, next to her, had to hurt even worse. The slave trader had taken a disliking to Adora, which made no sense, since people generally liked her waaaay more than Catra. Maybe it was because the slave-trader's wife liked Adora a little *too* much.  
  
Catra almost wished for them to be sold fast, so she could get Adora away from the pawing hands of the slave-trader's wife and the angry lash of the slave-trader. Maybe whoever bought them would be more lax in watching over them, and she could find a way to get these stupid collars off of them, and then her and Adora could escape and...and find some place to go, some place they could be free.  
  
It was a long shot, since the collars seemed to be a mix of tech and magic, so she would need a spellcaster and someone good with tech to disable each part of the collars that could shock them or even kill them if they disobeyed or went too far from their "owner". But Catra would die on her feet, fighting. She'd never give up.  
So although she had to sneer at the tall, slim, winged woman that looked over their limbs and asked her questions (that Catra replied to as sarcastically as possible) it was with an inner sigh of relief that she was being considered at all. Whoever was looking her over had to be rich, since they were trailed by a considerable amount of private guards, who looked like they'd dice Catra to kibble and bits if she so much as snapped at the angelic figure.  
  
Rich was good. Rich might be someone who could buy both her and Adora.  
  
"If I were to take you into my household...would you swear to do us no harm, and apply yourself to your duties honestly?" the winged woman asked her.  
  
Catra decided not to mess with her on this one. "If you buy both me and her," she said, pointing at Adora, who was staring wide-eyed at the angel, "then I will do whatever you want. Cook, scrub, guard, whatever. And I won't slice your throat in your sleep."  
  
The angel smiled. "It's good to see you can still care about someone. There's not many in the Horde that can be said of."  
  
"I'll take them both." Angella said to the slave trader. "Bring me the paperwork."  
  
Music to Catra's kitty ears. Hopefully they weren't jumping from the frying pan into the campfire...

Adora, meanwhile, was so happy to be leaving the possession of the slave-trader she could have cried. And to be leaving with such a beautiful, regal, kind woman who was literally an angel!

"Ugh, don't go all googly-eyed over her Adora. She's probably going to have us cleaning out chamber pots and keeping you as a bedwarmer."  
Catra didn't really believe that, but she wanted to snap Adora out of her naivete and hope. Her best friend really lost her brain whenever tall, beautiful women were around. It was pathetic.  
  
Adora spluttered. "She would not!"  
  
"God, get a grip." Catra muttered, rolling her eyes.  
  
The minutes passed like hours before they were ready to leave, the papers signed and their collars now keyed to their owner's unique energy signature.  
  
Catra was shocked they were allowed to ride right in their owner's transport, and even more shocked to learn their owner was Angella, Queen of Bright Moon. 

* * *

💜  
A month later, and Catra had finally met the other member of the Bright Moon royal family: Princess Glimmer. Catra was not impressed. The princess seemed soft, spoiled, and wildly emotional and violent. She was really not far off from what Horde training said Princesses were supposed to be.  
  
Queen Angella's kind and calm manner had almost convinced Catra the Horde training on magic-users was pure propaganda. Apparently there was some truth to Hordak's bullshit after all.  
  
Adora, to Catra's deep annoyance, still believed 100% in all the anti-Princess stories they'd been taught, and was so creeped out by the "rogue princess roaming the palace" that she avoided Glimmer at all costs. Catra never bothered to stay out of the Princess's way, but the princess was so narcissistic and self-interested that she hadn't noticed Catra at all in the month the two Horde soldiers had been living and working in the palace.  
  
Finally she'd gotten bored of just watching the Princess run around with her one friend, and initiated conversation. By kicking a dirty bucket of mop water at her. Catra smirked, just thinking about it. She'd meant to hit the bucket into Glimmer's knees but her aim was off. Still, she'd gotten noticed, so that was a success.  
  
Now Queen Angella, instead of being mad at her for angering her precious princess, was apologizing to her! 

"I am sorry about that Catra. Glimmer will come around. She has been an only child, and can be a little..." Angella trailed off.  
  
Catra mentally filled in the blanks. Spoiled? Narcisstic? Selfish and entitled?  
  
Queen Angella picked back up. "She bears a deep grudge against the Horde. In time she will see that you and Adora are victims, and fellow human beings, instead of the mindless killing machines she envisions all Horde soldiers as." 

Catra didn't know about that. Glimmer just seemed like a brat, and that was unlikely to change. Still, she should warn Adora that Glimmer was aware of them now, and on the warpath. 

"I'm going to let Adora know she'll be meeting Glimmer soon." Catra said.

"That is a wise idea Catra. Thank you." and with that, the Queen was on her way. 

Catra shook her head. This place was soft as hell, and crazy.


	3. Chapter 3

As fate would have it, the first person Glimmer ran into, alternating between teleporting wildly and sprinting down the halls, was not Bow. And her first introduction to the other slave in the household, Adora, was not to be in a calm, controlled environment with her mother supervising.  
She teleported right into the collared girl's path and crashed into her, hard.

Adora was already rushing to get to the Queen's chambers in time, a silver tea tray in her arms. When Glimmer ran into her, the tray went up, and the teapot top flew off, splattering scalding hot tea all over Adora's torso. She cried out in pain.  
  
"Oh Goddess! I am so sorry!" Glimmer yelled, tears coming back to her eyes over her horrible luck. She was just trying to get away and find peace and she'd hurt someone!  
Adora was busy pulling her boiling-liquid soaked shirt over her head and off of her already-reddening skin.  
  
Even as upset as she was, Glimmer's eyes were drawn to that naked, beautifully-sculpted slender torso with its neatly defined abs, small breasts hidden under a bra that had mercifully been spared being soaked by tea.  
  
And then the shirt was over Adora's head, and Glimmer's eyes caught on what was around her neck: a thick, heavily-enchanted gold slave collar. The kind worn only by the former scum members of the Evil Horde.  
  
"It's one of you! I take that back, I am NOT sorry!" Glimmer shouted. She dropped the tea things she'd started gathering up, and stormed off.  
  
"Okay..." Adora said, confused. "Oh crap, I have to have the kitchen make more tea, and put some clothes on!" she rushed off again. 

* * *

Meanwhile, Glimmer continued rushing as well. She finally burst through the front doors of the palace, where Bow was waiting outside the entrance for her.  
"Dramatic entrance much?" Bow joked. Then he noticed the tears on Glimmer's face. "Whoah, what happened?" he asked. He reached out and brushed the tears off her cheek.  
"My mother." Glimmer mumbled. "SHE BOUGHT SLAVES!"  
  
"I can't believe Queen Angella would do that." Bow said, shocked.  
  
"I know right?" Glimmer complained. "Horde scum creeping around our house, probably plotting to murder us in our beds..."  
  
"Um, that's not why I thought the she-bought-slaves thing would be upsetting, but ok." Bow said.  
  
"I don't know what I'm going to do, I don't how I can live under the same roof as those murderers."  
  
"Queen Angella must have her reasons." Bow said. He had never seen the celestial queen act unwisely.  
  
"Reasons? Oh yeah, some crap about 'rehabilitating' the Horde scum. Let's all make nice with the bloodthirsty, genocidal maniacs and have them fluff our pillows and make our tea..." Glimmer ranted.  
  
"So like, she's trying to teach them how to be regular citizens?" Bow asked.  
  
"Yes! It's insane!" Glimmer said, her eyes alight with worry and fury.  
  
Bow did not think it sounded so insane. The Horde couldn't all be bad, right? And if they were going to be sharing the same planet indefinitely (and there were thousands of ex-Horde soldiers in Etheria) they had to try to make peace with them somehow. All the Horde soldiers couldn't be kept as powerless slaves forever.

They were trained killing machines and needed to learn to be peaceful Etherians by their own choice, and not because some Etherian held a kill switch on their collar.  
  
But Bow didn't voice this, because Glimmer definitely wasn't ready to hear it yet. He could only hope Queen Angella taking these Horde soldiers in would give Glimmer a chance to see their shared humanity.  
  
"Do you still want to go hunting for First Ones' tech Glimmer? Clear your head, and maybe we can talk to Queen Angella about the rest later."  
  
"That sounds good Bow." She reached out and hugged him. He hugged her back, unsurprised. They were a physically affectionate pair. "I need a break from that... that madhouse the palace has become." she huffed.  
  
Bow smiled, and ruffled her hair. Then Glimmer teleported them both further away from the palace, and deep into the woods.  
  
  
  


* * *

While out in the woods, Glimmer managed to calm down and eventually enjoy herself. Bow and her did not find any First Ones' tech, but they did manage to cross several areas off their map. They would check other areas next time. By process of elimination they had to find something eventually, right?  
  
On the way back home to the palace, with her head clear, Glimmer began to plot on what to do about the two Horde soldiers being "reformed" in the palace.  
  
Her mother was as stubborn as she was, especially when she felt she was in the right and doing some act of good. There was no convincing her right now. What Glimmer needed was more evidence.  
  
But that shouldn't be hard to get. The Horde troops hadn't exactly been the best and brightest in Etheria. Their dysfunctional, horrible culture and practices had led to a force of mostly dull, greedy, poorly-trained war criminals who were only good for mindlessly obeying their petty tyrant of a leader, and victimizing the rest of Etheria to get in his good graces.  
  
All Glimmer had to do was get closer to the two girls, and then she was sure evidence of their wicked intentions would fall in her lap! She smirked just thinking about it.  
  
"You seem like you're in a better mood." Bow said. "What has you smiling?" he asked.  
  
"I've decided I'm _not_ going to argue with my mother that she should get rid of the Horde scum." Glimmer said.  
  
"You're not?" Bow asked. That was surprisingly mature of Glimmer.  
  
"Not yet anyway." Glimmer said, laughing.  
  
Bow facepalmed.


	4. Innocent Intentions

"And that's why I would like to have the two Horde scu—er, soldiers, act as my personal servants." Glimmer said brightly.  
  
"Because you would like to get to know them better." Queen Angella said, deadpan.  
  
They were in the throne room, Glimmer standing before her mother, and the two Horde soldiers kneeling off to the side.  
  
"Yes!" Glimmer said smiling, making herself the picture of innocence.  
  
Angella knew better. Still, whatever Glimmer's real intentions, she might genuinely learn the humanity of the former Horde faster if she was near to them, interacting every day.  
  
"You know you cannot mistreat them. I will not tolerate them being put through any dangerous acts, anything humiliating, ridiculous—" Queen Angella said.  
  
"I know, Mom! Geez." she rolled her eyes, as if the prospect of her ordering the Horde soldiers to walk off a cliff hadn't occurred to her. (The idea had been discarded because it wouldn't do anything to vindicate Glimmer's claim that they were evil, even if it did get rid of them.) "I just want their help with the Princess Ball stuff, mostly."  
  
"Very well then—" Queen Angella was saying.  
  
"Oh no. No no no. I'm gonna stop you right there." Catra said.  
  
The audience in the royal throne room looked outraged at her casual incivility in interrupting their Queen. But Queen Angella held up a hand to halt their muttering. 

"What is it, Catra? You do not have to act as Glimmer's servant, if you do not want to." and shooting a hard glance at Glimmer, Angella continued, "Especially after the events of yesterday."

"I don't want to. I have no interest in helping with a 'Princess Ball', whatever that ridiculous thing is." Catra said. Although the potential for sabotaging said Ball for Glimmer was tempting...oh well, she could still do that through Adora, if she wanted. And wouldn't have to put up with the spoiled princess and all the mounds of glitter and sparkle preparing for a "Princess Ball" would probably entail. 

"Very well." Queen Angella decided. "And what of you Adora?"  
  
Adora was still, her face facing the floor as she kneeled. Catra elbowed her.  
  
"Ouch!" Adora rubbed her side, only to notice everyone staring at her. "Oh me? Sure, definitely." she wasn't sure what she'd agreed to. She was nervous enough from being called into the throne room that she hadn't been able to pay attention.

"Then it's decided. You shall report directly to Glimmer from now on." Angella said. 

Adora looked over to where the pink-haired princess stood smirking, and gulped. The girl who'd rammed a hot tea pot onto her, then called her Horde scum? What had she signed herself up for?

* * *

Glimmer studied the blonde Horde scum, Adora, while the girl held up swatch after swatch of fabric at Glimmer's behest, all with a determined look on her face, as if helping Glimmer choose the most pleasing color and print combination for a ballgown was of life or death importance. (For all Adora knew, it was—the world outside the Horde compound was mystifying in every way.)  
  
Glimmer was mostly just testing the Horde scum's patience and ability to tolerate boring, meaningless orders. But Adora performed with the utmost obedience and effort. Glimmer supposed it wasn't surprising really, most of the Horde was used to a life of dull obedience. That Catra though...Glimmer wondered if she'd ever obeyed anyone in her life. It was a marvel the girl had come from the Horde.  
  
She was sure if she asked Catra to do the job Adora was doing now, the catgirl would tell her to shove the fabric samples where the Twelve Moons didn't shine.  
  
Glimmer sighed. This was getting her nowhere. Adora hadn't snapped yet and showed any temper or brutality. She wasn't even rude. Not that rudeness and disobedience would be enough evidence. Catra showed that in every line of her body and word out of her mouth, and her mother didn't care at all. If Glimmer talked like that, she'd be grounded for a month, but the Horde scum got away with what Bright Moon's own princesss couldn't!  
  
Maybe Catra was just being held to standards worthy of her station, Glimmer thought, smirking.  
  
"And here's the plaid one." Adora said, holding up a truly hideous orange and yellow plaid square. Glimmer made a face. It really was awful. Maybe she'd make Adora wear it. Glimmer smirked. Although she really should be wearing some kind of boring servant's clothes.  
  
"What do you think of it?" She asked Adora, testing her.  
  
Adora looked nonplussed. "Me? Uhh...it seemed sturdy."  
  
Glimmer stared at her. "It's um, bright? It might distract the enemy."  
  
"What enemy?" Glimmer asked. Her voice practically dripped icicles.  
  
"No one, of course! Who would dare be your enemy? Where are they, I'll fight them!" Adora said.  
  
Well this Horde soldier really was an idiot, Glimmer thought. She was tired of this. She'd already decided on a nice purple hours ago.  
  
"Come on, let's get these samples down to the royal seamstress. Royal purple for me, and the plaid for you." she would go ahead and have the Horde scum made a dress. If she was ever wearing it and went rogue, the palace archers would be able to spot her and shoot her down a mile away in that color.  
  
Adora obediently folded up the samples and followed her out of the room.


	5. Disappointment and Opportunity

"What do you mean you're going to the Princess Ball with Perfuma?!" Glimmer shouted.  
  
Bow rubbed the back of his head. He hadn't expected Glimmer to be so angry...  
  
"It's exactly like I said. She asked, and I figured that would free up your plus one spot so you can bring another friend too. This doesn't change anything Glimmer, we'll still be able to hang out there. Just because I'm her Plus-One doesn't mean I'm going to be glued to her side."  
  
"When did you even MEET Perfuma?" Glimmer asked.  
  
"At the Peace Accords? Remember, representatives from all the kingdoms were there to sign the treaty on what would happen to the Fright Zone, and all the former Horde soldiers."  
  
Ugh. Now that Glimmer thought back, she could remember that hippy dippy skinny flower girl hanging out with Bow in between some of the meetings. Glimmer had kept being pulled over to her mother's side to observe a bunch of quibbling over some turn of phrase that had already been gone over twenty times.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Fine, I'll take someone else as my plus one then!"  
  
"Are sure you're going to be okay with this Glimmer?"  
  
"No, I'm fine with this. Really, just fine. I can find someone else." Glimmer said, her voice full of false calm.  
  
"Awesome!" Bow put his arm around her, leaning his head against hers.  
  
"This is going to be the best Princess Ball ever. I can't wait!"  
  
"Yeah, me either." Glimmer said.  
  
Inside she was full of dread. Who was she going to find to be her Plus One? She couldn't show up alone to the Princess Ball It would officially mark her as the lamest princess ever.  
  
She felt sick just thinking about it, but there was only one option...

* * *

"You want to take *me* to the Princess Ball?" Adora asked, scratching at her hair poof. "To like carry your coat and stuff? And guard your body! I know I'm not allowed to have a stun baton anymore, but I'm trained in unarmed combat too!"  
  
That was the most enthusiasm Glimmer had seen from Adora in...ever. And of course the Horde scum was excited at the prospect of getting to beat on someone.  
  
"Uh, yeah...but I need you to be incognito, so you'll need to wear a dress and mingle...eat appetizers and dance and stuff. We'll need to get you caught up on the etiquette." Glimmer said, frowning.  
  
"Oh, I'm great at learning rules!" Adora said, her eyes shining with enthusiasm.  
  
Adora could be cute sometimes, kind of like a puppy, Glimmer thought. It was a shame she was an evil Horde soldier. Cute or not, Glimmer would definitely look more stylish and elegant at the Princess Ball when she had Adora next to her in that hideous plaid dress they'd had made.  
  
Perhaps it was *too* cruel to let her go to the Ball in such an awful getup, even if she was a vile member of the Horde? The poor girl had no sense of fashion whatsoever, and didn't even recognize the monstrousness of what she was being made to wear. Glimmer knew she'd probably get her eyes slashed out if she tried to put Catra in it. Good thing she hadn't invited the rude catgirl along.  
  
"Come on, let's get started in going over the rules. I'm brushing up on my dance moves with Bow later, you can come along and familiarize yourself with them." 

* * *

[several hours later]  
  
Adora peered at Glimmer over the top of the thick, ancient guide to manners she'd been immersed in. Glimmer was involved in no such hard work, instead having her little booted feet propped up on the library table, reading a comic book while overseeing Adora's study session.

Adora knew she should hate the evil, vile princess. But the wicked royal seemed more spoiled and occasionally bitchy than truly bad. But then, Princesses were supposed to be creatures of deceit werent they?

Maybe Princess Glimmer's body was so soft, her curves so inviting, as a trap to lure you into laying your head on that small, cute bosom only to blast you to bits with her Princess magic?

Adora had never seen her blow anything up, but the prospect did not lessen the itch to lean her head on Glimmer. It didnt matter where. her small round shoulders, her broad soft, tummy, those breasts...

Her cheeks reddened just thinking about it. and then Glimmer was shouting at her.

"What are you looking at me like that for, Horde scum?!"

That only made Adora blush harder. Glimmer was cute when she was acting fierce.

"S-sorry..." Adora stammered.

Catra would kill her if she knew Adora was making eyes at their enemy, instead of plotting to murder the Princess and escape.

Adora hastily busied herself in digging through the book in front of her. She was supposed to be learning the etiquette and rules of an " All Princess Ball" (a totally terrifying concept) since she was going to attend as Glimmer's servant in her plus-one spot. (Catra was too disobedient and volatile).

Glimmer, unbeknownst to Adora, was currently reconsidering that idea. it wouldn't do for her servant to publicly mock her at the event of the decade, making ludicrous doe eyes at her and pretending to swoon.

This weird jest Adora always did was the only serious fault Glimmer found in her. Although she was a former Horde soldier (war criminal, murderer) she was much less inclined to violence than Catra and other ex-Horde soldiers Glimmer had encountered.

Glimmer had almost wondered if Adora was engineered as a non-combatant support staff, and thus her obedient and relatively docile nature. But Adora herself had confirmed her service record and training--she'd trained as a soldier and taken place in the disastrous Battle for Thaymore.

It wouldn't do to let Adora's puppy-dog eyes and seemingly placid nature get Glimmer's guard down. Appearances could be decieving, and Catra's sly maliciousness did not mean she was the more dangerous of the two. Glimmer had seen the deep scars all over Adora's body. The woman had undoubtedly been through violent, bloody conflict and was no stranger to cold-blooded murder.

Glimmer could never let herself forget that. She stood up, and closed the book in Adora's hands. "Bow should be here by now for our dance practice. Let's head to the training room." Adora perked up at the phrase "training room" and eagerly headed out of the library. If there was one thing Adora liked more than studying the enemy and tactics, it was hard physical training.


	6. Silks and Secrets

This "dancing" was really strange, but Adora could see the benefits in it. It was an exercise in balance and coordination, and anything that kept those traits sharp was a valuable practice, even if the moves were weird.

Glimmer watched critically as Bow lead Adora around the room. When they were finished with the entire set, they switched roles. The former Horde soldier was surprisingly light on her feet, her agile body and observant eyes picking up the moves and rhythm quickly, for someone who claimed to have never even seen dancing. 

Glimmer decided to stop them.  
  
"Here, let me show her. She needs to know how to do that move with someone shorter." Glimmer said.  
  
"OK." Bow said, and stepped back. He sat down on one of the padded benches in the room, wiping his brow.

Meanwhile, Glimmer took Adora's hands in her own. The princess's powerful hands that delt out magic and punches to her enemies with equal fervor, felt so small and soft and innocent in her own rough, callused ones. Time seemed to stand still for Adora, and all the air left her lungs. What was this feeling...? Some strange Princess magic, spread by touch?  
  
"Don't just stand there!" Glimmer barked.  
  
The Horde soldier had done so well with Bow. She had better not plan on freezing up on the dance floor at the Ball in order to embarass Glimmer. That would be a typical dastardly Horde plan...  
  
She tugged Adora into place and pulled her along. Finally, Adora seemed to snap out of her daze and began moving along. This dancing was really nice...  
  
"We should have tried out the party outfits for this. You're going to have to dance in a dress and heels after all." Glimmer said.  
  
She really doubted the agile Adora would have an issue with moving in high heels, but Glimmer was still glad they'd decided on a mid-length ruffled dress and not a full evening gown. Even Adora would have trouble navigating a dress train on the first try.

"I can handle whatever my mistress wants me to wear." Adora said, eyes shining. She didn't normally like using the heavy honorific terms the slave handlers had enforced, but for some reason using the term "mistress" for Glimmer felt very...something. Warm and kind of good and confusing all at once. 

Glimmer made a face. That joking obsequious behavior really was too much...maybe she really should try and butter up Catra into coming instead. But no, she didn't have a dress ready for the catgirl, and even if she was willing to wear Adora's plaid monstrosity, it would fall right off the slender catgirl, who wasn't as broad-shouldered as Adora. 

She was stuck with the kind of creepy, kind of adorable, but probably totally evil and heartless deep down, Adora.  
  
Glimmer sighed. "Come on you guys. We need to coordinate our accessories." It was bad enough Adora's dress totally clashed with hers. Then again, it clashed with EVERYTHING.

* * *

Elsewhere in the castle, someone else was coordinating their accessories. That person was Catra. As if she was going to let Adora go off alone to some major event packed full of Etherian royalty. The princess didn't count as company--she was violent and self-centered and was definitely not looking out for Adora's best interest. 

The minute Catra had heard Adora was going to be Glimmer's plus-one (because Bow was going with someone else, and it was very obvious the annoying Bright Moon princess had no other friends to ask), she started working on her plans to get into the Princess Ball. 

Fortunately, there was a former-Horde affiliated now-restored to royalty Princess who was sympathetic to her ex-Horde companions. Catra smirked as she tucked the Plus-One invitation into her shirt. She couldn't wait to see the look on Glitter Princess's face when she showed up at the Ball. 

She had to make sure she showed up in style. Nothing hideous like the dress they were putting Adora in. Making someone wear that constituted a war crime in itself. Catra didn't think she'd go for a dress at all. Flipping through the racks of the Royal Wardrobe, she found a sleek and well-cut suit that would look excellent on her slim frame, with a bit of tailoring. 

Getting that wouldn't be an issue. Her sharp feline vision had seen some things going on in the Palace gardens involving the royal seamstress that the woman would definitely not want to reach Queen Angella's ears. The seamstress would be getting off lightly to exchange her silence for helping Catra dress as she rightly deserved. 

At this point, she probably had dirt on most of the palace staff. For such a seemingly wholesome and righteous place, Bright Moon had more seedy dealings and shady shit going on than you could shake a stick at. Which was great for Catra, because she had *lots* of plans. And those Queen Angella wouldn't be pleased to hear about either.


	7. Goodnight

Catra was alone, and Catra was bored, and that was a very dangerous combination. It was the wee hours of the morning and she couldn't sleep. She was lying in her bed in the servants quarters (which was insanely soft and fluffy, the best bed Catra had ever slept in) with her arms under her head, waiting for Adora to come back to their shared quarters. 

Catra usually slept in Adora's bed with her, curled up at her feet or lounging intertwined with her body. But Adora of all people, was sneaking around the castle. Catra normally would have been all over that, she was great at stealth AND rule-breaking. But Adora was looking for a way to reach out to Shadow Weaver of all people, and that Catra would never be a part of. 

They'd argued about it for hours after their work shifts were done. 

"She's a selfish bitch Adora, she's not going to help us." Catra had said. Shadow Weaver used others, she wasn't of use to anyone but herself.

"She's the highest-ranking surviving officer of the Horde. If anyone knows where the rest of the Horde is based, she will, even if she's caught like us." Adora said. 

"I'm pretty sure there is no 'rest of the Horde'." Catra said wryly. Why was Adora always the last one to catch up with reality? 

"They wiped the Fright Zone and took most of us. There's not some heroic hidden outpost of Horde survivors waiting to restart the war." and Catra was kind of grateful for that, honestly. The Horde sucked. 

"Then what? We're just supposed to be slaves, helpless minions of the Princesses?!" Adora shouted.

"Keep your voice down." Catra hissed. "We can be free of the Princesses. That doesn't mean going back to being Shadow Weaver's lapdogs. Besides, you seem pretty happy being that pink princess's minion." Catra smirked. 

Her smirk fell away when Adora actually blushed. Dammit, why did Adora have to fall for every woman but her? She even liked the screechy violent glitter blob, but Catra, who'd been by her side her entire life, wasn't good enough? 

"I'm not happy being her servant." Adora insisted, although her cheeks were still red and she was looking at the ceiling, not meeting Catra's eyes. "She's short-tempered and kind of scary, and can disappear and reappear whenever she wants." Adora shivered at the thought. 

Glimmer caused a lot of confusing feelings to well up in her, but that was mostly when she was around Glimmer. When she got back around Catra, her fellow Horde soldier and companion of her entire life, it brought back to her who she fully was and their mission, the Horde's mission: to save Etheria from the insane and tyrannical rule of the bloodthirsty and unstable Princesses. The Horde's collapse had only strengthened that desire in Adora--one only had to see how the Etherian royalty treated the weak and defeated Horde soldiers, totally enslaving them, to see that they were not kind and just rulers. 

"Whatever." Catra scowled. "Do what you want, Adora. Go be Shadow Weaver's puppet, or Glimmer's. I don't care anymore." and she'd laid back on her bed and put her arm over her eyes, acting as if she didn't care at all what Adora did. 

With a hurt expression on her face, Adora left to find some way to communicate with Shadow Weaver, or any other surviving, free Horde officer.

* * *

But that left Catra here, bored and unable to sleep. She couldn't sleep because she could never sleep alone. But...Adora wasn't the only one in the castle. With a crooked smile Catra rose from her bed, and crept silently out the door and into the castle halls. 

The darkness didn't hold her back at all. With her eyes, she could see nearly as well during the night as during the day, and there were still lit sconces placed on the palace walls. So, who's bed should she sneak into? The Bright Moon Queen would probably take it the best if she found Catra in her bed upon waking, but her guards would probably make a kitty-kebab with Catra. 

The other servants' and guards' beds were no temptation. They were ordinary people with little power or imagination. No, for maximum fun, she knew exactly who she would pick. 

The Glitter Princess's bed might have been an obstacle to Adora or any ordinary Etherian. But Catra was no ordinary Etherian, and hopping from step to step to reach the bed floating at the very top of the room was almost effortless for Catra and her acrobatic reflexes. 

When she reached the top she crept slowly across the sheets, pausing only when Glimmer stirred and turned in her sleep. The Princess's purple-pink locks fanned out across her pillow, and in the moonlight the sparkles really did look like stars. How did someone have sparkles in their hair? Was it magic? A fancy beauty product? Catra didn't know, but she sat for a moment and admired it. She could almost understand why Adora was googly-eyed over the Princess. With her face relaxed in sleep and devoid of her usual irritating facial expressions, she actually looked kind of cute. 

Catra shook herself out of that crazy thought. She wasn't some freak like Shadow Weaver, creeping on girls in their sleep, or girl-crazy like Adora, to where she had to stop and wipe drool off her chin whenever a half-decent looking female was around. 

Catra crept to the end of the bed and curled up, her tail wrapping around her. Princess Pink's feet were smaller than Adora's, but they were still warm. The sound of silence was nice too. She loved Adora, but the girl snored. Yes, this was very comfortable. Now, she just had to wake up and scamper away before Glimmer did. She hoped the princess was a late sleeper...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll get to the Princess Ball eventually, I swear :D I wanted to have a little more time in the palace first. 
> 
> Also, I want to give an extra big thanks to everyone who comments on these latest chapters! Chapters that aren't the very beginning/ending ones seem to not get as much feedback, and so authors can start to feel like no one is reading anymore and can get discouraged. But I appreciate everyone who reads these even if you don't have time to leave feedback. 
> 
> Though this is kind of still a beginning chapter, since I think this fic will end up at least 20k.


	8. The Morning After

She was a late and deep sleeper. When the sunlight began to pour through the windows of Glimmer's room, Catra cracked one eye open. Time to make her escape~ 

And so she leapt nimbly straight to the ground, making barely a noise even from so far a drop. Catra smirked up at the sleeping princess, gave her a sarcastic salute, and headed down the hall back to her own bedroom. 

Inside their servants' quarters, Adora was sleeping like a log, sprawled out inelegantly on her bed. Drool beaded down one corner of her mouth, and her hair was a mess. Adora could be so gross. If any of the Horde officers who thought so highly of their precious polished recruit could see her at bedtime they wouldn't be so impressed. But Catra loved her anyway. Without bothering to be stealthy, Catra sprang lightly onto the mattress and curled up at the foot of the bed. Glimmer might have had the better bed, but this was still the best spot to slumber. It's wherever Adora is...Catra thought, drifting back into sleep.

* * *

Several hours later, Glimmer awoke. She had slept good, and stretched soundly. It wasn't until she'd rubbed her eyes a few times to clear them that she noticed anything amiss. There were weird little orangey-brown hairs all over her bedspread. Had she worn furry slippers to bed last night, or had an animal gotten in? Ugh, she hoped the palace wasn't undergoing another mouse infestation. She'd have to let the staff know to put out traps.  
With that decided, she put the mystery out of her mind. She was going artifact hunting with Bow today and she couldn't wait to get started.

* * *

This continued peacefully for some time. Whenever Adora wasn't available to be Catra's sleeping partner, she'd steal away to Glimmer's room. Eventually Glimmer began to be perturbed by the strange hairs. She couldn't be shedding body hair or something, the hair on her body was as pink as the hair on her head. The animal traps had turned up nothing.  
The answer clicked into place one day when she was asking of a lounging Catra what she actually DID around there. 

"Why don't you be useful and go work in the kitchens like Adora used to?" Glimmer demanded. The catgirl was just laying out on one of the palace patios, snoozing in the sun. From the way she behaved, you would think SHE was the Queen, and not a servant. 

Catra cracked one eye open, the blue one, and lazily licked her tongue along her hand. 

"Ew." Glimmer said, not even hiding her disgust. 

Her mother had raised her better than to show revulsion at other peoples' ways, but Catra brought out the worst of her. 

"I can't. My fur would get in the food." she said.

"That is the lamest excuse." Glimmer declared. "Look, your fur isn't that long, you can barely tell you have any..." Glimmer trailed off, her eyes widening. She'd reached out and ran her finger along Catra's arm, feeling the soft, very short, fine fur on it, and that's when it hit her, that it was a perfect match for the mystery hairs on her bed. 

"It was you!"

"You'll have to be more specific, Princess." Catra said, not bothering to raise from her lazy sprawl, despite Glimmer stabbing her finger angrily inches from Catra's face. 

"You've been sneaking into my bed and night and leaving your filthy fur there!" Glimmer shouted. "You sneak! Horde sneak!" She was nearly apopalectic with rage. 

One of the palace gardeners was nearby trimming the hedges around the patio, and he paused to witness this exchange. Barely holding back her laughter, Catra met the gardener's eyes and twirled her finger next to her head, mouthing 'crazy'. 

The cheek of it was astounding,and the gardener hastily looked away, pretending to be busy with the hedge. It did seem far-fetched though, that a servant would be sneaking in and sleeping in the princess's bed. Everyone knew it was virtually impossible to get up there without teleportation.  
  
"Why would I sneak into YOUR bed?" Catra asked. "Aw, do you like me? Did you have a nice dream about me coming into your bed at night~?" Catra teased. 

Half the palace went to the windows to watch the screaming princess chase the catgirl servant across the lawn, teleportation versus sheer agility and acrobatics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was short...maybe I should do 2 updates this week? 0w0


	9. Temptation Waits

After that, Catra stayed away from Glimmer's room for a very long time. The Princess had been pissed, and Catra knew she was toeing the line of tolerability in what she'd been doing. But the sheer rage it generated in the princess was too much to resist forever. What was the saying? Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back. And ticking off Glimmer was extremely satisfying. 

So after a few weeks of laying low, Catra found herself bored and alone in her bedroom again. Adora was out...somewhere. She hadn't told Catra, and it was really eating away at the catgirl. Adora was so naturally likable, some of the other servants and even palace guards had warmed up to her, despite her being "evil murdering Horde scum" as most Etherians seemed to think of them. She was probably curled up even now in some buff palace guard's arms, or kissing a busty maid in some dark corner of the palace. It away at Catra's insides like acid. 

So she got out of bed and began walking, seeking some distraction from the images and thoughts that wouldn't stop. And she knew of one very distracting, entertaining pursuit. Princess-baiting. 

Her feet quietly tread the path they'd walked so many times before, the path to Princess Glimmer's bedroom. She opened the door so slowly it didn't creak even a little, and only the most shallow strip of light shone in for a second. 

Catra closed the door and crept quietly and carefully toward the steps to the Princess's bed. She was always soundless in her ascent, but she was extra cautious this time, since Glimmer was onto her game. Finally, she reached the top of the bed, and smirked a little as she found the princess lying there with her eyes closed, breathing slowly in her slumber. 

'Just try and keep me away princess.' Catra thought. 

She smirked and began crawling to the foot of the bed. She was totally oblivious to the dark shadow that loomed up behind her. It was a complete shock when something slammed into her hard, sending her over the side of the bed, screaming and caterwauling as she fell to the floor. Years of hard training in the Horde had her rolling into the fall to minimize damage, but it still hurt like hell. 

The lights flicked on and Catra watched, stunned and groaning, as a grinning Glimmer teleported down to the floor next to her. 

"I KNEW IT! I knew it! Do you know how many nights of sleep I've missed, waiting to catch you?" Glimmer cackled madly. 

Now that she mentioned it, Catra could see the deep, dark circles under the Princess's eyes. And the crazed look on her face of the extremely sleep-deprived. Catra sat up. 

"I can't wait to tell Mom I caught you." Glimmer said, rubbing her hands together. Her voice was blissful. 

"Go ahead." Catra said, her voice calm. She checked her nails in a studied show of casualness. 

"What?" Glimmer asked, her poor, exhausted brain stuttering over this unexpected reaction from her most hated enemy. 

"Go ahead and tell the Queen." Catra smirked. "Who's side do you think she'll take? She always takes MINE." Catra taunted. 

"She's my mother." Glimmer retorted.

"But she seems to like me better." Catra said, rising up from the floor. 

She shouldn't have bothered, since her feet flew out from under her as a screaming Glimmer tackled her. She was sent toward the wall, but instead of smacking into it, gracefully turned midair and bounced off it with her feet, coming up behind Glimmer. 

Every sense thrilled to the fight. This, THIS was the distraction she needed! Her claws had unsheathed by instinct, but she forced them to retract. If she drew serious blood or permanently scarred the precious princess, she really might be sent away, no matter how soft the Queen of Bright Moon was. 

She dove at Glimmer, but the princess was already whirling with her fist out to deliver a powerful haymaker. Catra let her body drop abruptly and rolled. 

The fun went on for some time, but nothing good lasts forever, and eventually the crashes and shouted insults drew the guards. And even worse, Queen Angella. 

She ignored their meager justifications and accusations, looking around the trashed room and at the two bloodied teenagers with disgust, or at the very least, disappointment. 

"We'll talk about this in the morning." Queen Angella said, her voice was flat but Glimmer could tell she was furious. "Now get some sleep." she turned to give a hard look to Catra especially. "In your _own_ rooms."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're wondering if Adora really is curled up with someone else...she's an oblivious dork, so probably not. Catra is insecure and assumes the worst.


	10. Judgement Day

The morning dawned bright and early, and miserable for the two miscreants. Catra had gotten no sleep, but Glimmer had slept like the dead, her coma-like stupor the result of weeks of sleep deprivation. (What the hell was wrong with her? Catra thought. Who went weeks without sleep in order to catch someone at a prank? That was crazy grudgeful. Catra admired that.) 

The guards collected the two remorseful girls to escort them to the royal court, where they'd been summoned. Catra glanced out of the corner of one eye at Glimmer as they walked along. The princess looked a little better for having finally rested. Her expression was as glum as Catra's. 

"Sooo..." Catra started. 

It couldn't hurt to try and mitigate the consequences. Catra had talked big last night, but in the daylight the very real risks of her behavior last night were making an impression on her. Her fun little distraction could have both her and Adora sold back to a slave trader, and there went her plans of escape.

Glimmer just glared at her though. It seemed Catra would have to do all the work to bridge the gap. 

"We should probably start working on our story." Catra said, smiling with charm and false confidence. 

"What 'story'?" Glimmer ground out.

"Our explanation of last night's events. That makes us seem like two good pals that would never do each other harm, or break one of the palace rules." Catra said. 

"Pfft. I wouldn't work with you if you were the last being on Etheria." Glimmer said. 

"You want to be grounded that bad?" Catra tried.

"Grounding sucks, but that's the worst she can do. I'm her daughter, and she loves me." Glimmer said. "Unlike you, Horde scum. If you're lucky, you'll just be sent back to the slave auction." 

That was the heart of the matter, wasn't it? Catra had to try one more thing. "Do you really want Adora sold away too?" 

They rounded a corner. 

Glimmer narrowed her eyes. "If I had my way, you'd both be executed as war criminals." Her voice was pure ice. 

Yikes. Even Catra had to look away from the princess's venomous glare. The guards were silent during this exchange. 

"Suit yourself, Princess." Catra said, with false bravado. She'd tried to reach out to the princess, now all she could do was focus on saving herself. And Adora. She began mentally preparing for the deception she'd have to pull off as the guards swung open the doors to the royal court.

* * *

The morning sun shone brightly but gently through the huge opening beyond which sat Queen Angella on her throne. All was soaring skies and celestial theming, and if Catra hadn't seen it before, she'd have been intimidated. Okay, she was still a little intimidated. She channeled that feeling, of shyness and fear, to make herself appear more meek and subdued. 

Together, Glimmer and her approached the throne. 

"You will each get your chance to speak." Queen Angella said, looking at them each sternly. "I will tolerate no interruptions. Catra, as the lower-ranked party, I will have you speak first." 

Catra stepped forward. She rubbed the back of her head as if she were feeling nervous and awkward. She wasn't. "W-well. I guess it's like Princess Glimmer said. I did sneak into her room and...and sleep in her bed. But just at the foot of it! And I wasn't planning on hurting her or anything." Catra looked down.

This, Queen Angella readily believed. After all, if Catra had been in the room more than one night, she'd had plenty of opportunity to attack or hurt Glimmer. The physical fight last night likely was instigated by Glimmer. 

"And why did you go to Glimmer's room, Catra?" 

Glimmer made a noise of outrage at her mother playing along with Catra's bullshit fake meek act, her mother had to know that was NOT Catra's personality at all. She'd been going to Glimmer's room purely to antagonize her, that was obvious! 

Queen Angella held up a hand to silence her. "Let Catra speak." 

Catra spoke up again. "This is really embarrassing but...I can't sleep alone. At all. And Princess Glimmer seemed so nice, with how she's been helping Adora. I thought she wouldn't mind. I guess I was wrong. I'm really sorry."

"BULLSHIT!" Glimmer yelled.

"GLIMMER!" Queen Angella's voice was like a whip cracking. "Language! And silence until I ask you to speak." 

"But Mom--"

"No buts!" Queen Angella said. 

Glimmer was so enraged she felt dizzy from the blood rushing to her head. Her breath came in harsh pants as she struggled to control herself, to not go crazy and throw Catra off the precipice (her mom would just catch the catgirl, and then Glimmer would REALLY be in trouble). 

They all stood there in silence, except for the heavy sound of Glimmer hyperventilating echoing through the lofty chambers. 

"Now, Glimmer. You may explain yourself. Is anything Catra said untrue?" she asked. 

"Of course it is!" Glimmer burst out. 

"What facts has she misrepresented?" Angella asked. 

"All of it!" Glimmer yelled. 

"So she _didn't_ sneak into your room and sleep in your bed?" Queen Angella asked, arching one eyebrow. 

"No, that part is true! It's the rest of it that's lies! She wasn't lonely or needing company to sleep! She did it just to mess with me! She's trying to drive me crazy!" Glimmer yelled. 

A few people in the royal court bit their lips. If that had been the catgirl's aim, it looked like she'd succeeded, from the way Glimmer was acting lately.

"And you attacked first, last night." Queen Angella stated. 

"I woke up to an intruder in my room, what would you do?" Glimmer snarked. 

"Very well." Queen Angella said. "Catra," she said, looking at the catgirl, who met her eyes, "You have to learn Etherian ways. We typically sleep alone, or only with our romantic partners. And our sleeping quarters are private spaces, not communal, like in the Horde. We do not go into other's rooms without their permission." 

Catra nodded, looking the picture of remorse, but in her head she was doing backflips in delight. It looked a lot like she was going to get away with this. 

"Glimmer," the queen said, turning towards her daughter, who looked not contrite at all, and madder than a wet hen. "You have to learn to be more tolerant and forgiving of our guests who have come from the Horde. They are still learning our ways, and look to us for guidance. Is resorting to violence at the smallest provocation the lesson we want to impress on them? Etheria is heading into a time of peace, and you need to learn to live in it as well." 

She looked at the both of them. "I do not want to hear of this happening again. Nor do I want to be awoken at 3AM to sort out your spats. Learn to get along, or I will make you both roommates—on the basement level, where no one will be bothered by your brawling. Dismissed."

And with that, Queen Angella called the next supplicant. Glimmer tried to stay and argue, but Queen Angella repeated "Dismissed." louder and one of the guards took the princess by the arm. Eyes filling with tears, the princess teleported out of the throne room. The courtiers began murmuring over that, apparently it was quite rude and disrespectful. 

Catra had slinked away quietly and discreetly, watching the exchange out of the corner of her gaze. Time to make her exit and lay low for a while. It was a shame. Teasing Glimmer was so much fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end of the musical-beds subplot...but not the end of its after-effects perhaps :P I hope it wasn't too much filler, but I didn't want things to move *too* fast. 
> 
> next chapter: everyone goes to Prom! Dun dun dun.


	11. Let's Party

The Princess Ball was loud. It didn't bother Adora, the opposite in fact. She was used to shared dormitories, ration bar meals in cafeterias packed with hundreds of Horde soldiers, hallways so crammed during shift changes you could only move as if being carried along by a wave of people. She took it in stride, despite the general alienness of the setting and her fellow partiers. 

It was Glimmer that felt hemmed in by the noise, like it was pressing in on her. Waves of sonic assault in the chatter and laughter of everyone around her, who seemed to be having a thousand times more fun than her, the clinking and clattering coming from the refreshments table, doors opening and slamming as a latecomer arrived. She was used to the quiet and peace of Bright Moon palace and the Whispering Woods. 

Adora had humiliated her by yelling at the hostess, Frosta, that she was "like 10 years old!", her dress was hideous (when Glimmer had had Adora's plaid dress commissioned, she'd still thought she and Bow would be attending the All Princess Ball together, and now here she was, stuck with the Worst Dressed Plus One—she could feel her social standing dropping just from being within radius of the plaid horror) and now Adora was stuffing her face full of appetizers like a hog at a trough. 

Glimmer kicked her in the ankle with zero remorse. Adora had read an entire book on etiquette—how did she not know how to eat like a human being?! 

Adora whimpered around a mouthful of food. "W-what?" 

"Would you stop embarrassing me?" Glimmer hissed. 

"Sorry." Adora said sheepishly. "I've never been to a ball before." 

Glimmer rolled her eyes. As if she would believe the Horde scum wasn't doing this on purpose. She was doing too good a job at destroying any cool points Glimmer had. 

"Oh hey, it's Bow!" Adora said. She waved over at him. 

Of course it was, and with Perfuma in tow, slender and elegant in a pink dress perfectly coordinated with her date's shirt. As the two approached, Glimmer threw her arm around Adora's waist and started laughing loudly and uproariously. "Adora, you are just too funny, hahaha!" 

"Hey, that must be a good joke." Bow said good-naturedly. "What's got you laughing so hard?" he asked. 

"Oh nothing, nothing." Glimmer said. "Just a Me-and-Adora thing. It's an in-joke, you wouldn't get it." 

"Ok." Bow said. Glimmer seemed to be acting kind of strangely, but he could see the signs of strain on his best friend. Despite her bravado, she was a bit sheltered and probably not used to attending enormous social functions. He would try to take her mind off all the strangers around her. 

"Perfuma was telling me about this flying horse that ate all the apples in Plumeria—" 

On the other side of the ballroom, deep within the shadows, a short princess with goggles was leaning over a slender catgirl, so close their noses almost brushed. Her prehensile purple hair writhed and slithered around Catra's collared neck. Finally, there was a satisfying metal click. Catra sighed. 

"Thanks Entrapta. That was perfect. Now, I just have to find blondie." 

"But I thought _I_ was supposed to find Adora now?" Entrapta asked.

"The other blondie." Catra said, laughing. She had reason to laugh. Her plan was coming along perfectly. Halfway done already...her heart felt lighter than it had in...ever. She was about to be free from slavery and from the Horde. What could top that? 

From far away, the childish yet stern voice of the host princess drifted over. "It is my duty as hostess to now announce, it is time for the first dance of the Ball."

Catra smirked and headed toward where Glimmer and Adora were clustered. She really had no business with the glitter princess right now, but who said you couldn't mix business with pleasure? Besides, if Sparkles had a meltdown and started a fight, it would draw attention away from Adora and Entrapta...and Perfuma. Catra rubbed the soft velvety petals of the freshly grown, perfectly matching flower that was pinned to her suit lapel. 

Glimmer had just taken Adora by the hand to start the first dance when Catra walked up. 

"Hey Adora." Catra said, smirking. 

"Hey Catra." Adora said, waving with a grin on her face. 

Glimmer dropped Adora's hand, staring at the suited-up, cocky catgirl slave standing in front of her. She couldn't reconcile what she saw with reality. It was like suddenly seeing pink elephants everywhere. What the fuck was the other Horde slave doing here?

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Glimmer hissed. 

"Just here to dance, eat, mingle...have a good time." Catra said, her voice mirthful. 

"This ball is a PRINCESS ball. It is for PRINCESSES. You are NOT a princess. You are a SLAVE. A HORDE SLAVE!" Glimmer's hands were balled into fists at her side. Bow pulled away from his dance partner and walked over. People were starting to stare, and murmur, although most danced on. 

Behind the catgirl and the princess, Adora was looking dubiously at a tiny goggle-wearing princess who was taking her into her arms to dance. The princess had taken the lead, but Adora didn't know how such a scrawny little thing was going to manage the lift...

Until the princess's purple hair shot out and grasped around her, lifting her gracefully up into the air. That was creepy. Terrifying. Wrapped up in a psychotic princess's seemingly sentient hair...Just when Adora was about to start screaming, she heard a click, and the little princess abruptly lowered her. 

Heart racing, Adora let out a sigh of relief. Without a word, the princess walked away from her. Adora wasn't very familiar with dancing, but she was pretty sure there was more steps left before they were supposed to switch partners...

Oh well. The argument between Catra and Glimmer seemed to be getting more heated. Catra looked as calm as ever, but Glimmer's face was bright red and her eyes were almost bulging out... 

"They'll work it out." 

"Hm?" Adora turned. 

The tall, slender princess who'd accompanied Glimmer's friend Bow was standing behind her. She had a gentle smile on her freckled face. Despite her being a princess (terrifying!) she had a calm feel about her that Adora liked. 

"Shall we dance?" Perfuma asked, holding a hand out.

"Um, sure!" Adora said. She was supposed to be acting normal and not embarrassing Glimmer, after all. And everyone *but* Glimmer was dancing. Even Catra had started dancing, with a big muscly (hot) scorpion-woman. She was still snarking back at Glimmer from the safety of the scorpion-woman's big strong arms. 

Adora turned away to focus on her dance partner. Perfuma was a smooth dancer, and very pretty, but when she felt the tingle of magic and something slithering on her neck, she froze, staring in horror at Perfuma. 

Once again, there was that click. Then Perfuma was lifting one slim-fingered hand away from Adora's neck, holding something up. It looked like...a flower. 

"I'm sorry, I forget that those of you who survived the Horde aren't used to seeing Etherian magic...outside of combat. I just wanted you to have a corsage to match your interesting dress." Perfuma explained. 

The flower was somehow the same orange and yellow plaid as her dress. 

"Do you mind if I...?" Perfuma began, gesturing at Adora's bodice. 

"No, go ahead!" Adora said, still slightly nervous. 

Perfuma gently attached the flower to Adora's dress. "Perfect!" she said, smiling radiantly. The power of that smile left Adora feeling dazed. Perfuma was something else.

Behind them, the argument was reaching new heights. Adora turned around to see what was going on. Bow was trying to get Glimmer to calm down with renewed intensity, as the short, stern host princess was making her way over to shut down the commotion. 

"Revered hostess!" Glimmer shouted. "This woman is a Horde slave from our castle! She does NOT belong here. I humbly ask your assistance in detaining her until she can be returned home after the ball." 

Catra smirked. "Revered hostess, I am here with Princess Scorpia, who was invited to the ball." she gestured at the tall white-haired Princess next to her. 

"That's irrelevant." Glimmer ground out. "She's a slave, she doesn't have _my_ permission to be here." 

"Princess Glimmer, I am not here to play jailer to your slaves. She is within the rules of the ball. Scorpia is a princess. Princesses get plus ones. They stay. Stop causing a disturbance or YOU will be ejected from the Ball." 

With that, the young host princess turned her back and walked away from them. 

"Princessss Scorpia." Glimmer hissed. 

"Hey, Glimmer." Adora said appeasingly, reaching for her hand. She was hoping they could dance together and Glimmer would calm down, now that she'd been shut down on evicting Catra from the ball. Adora really didn't like seeing the princess upset, and an upset Glimmer meant more feuding and drama back at the castle. 

But Glimmer slapped her hand away. 

"Don't touch me, Horde scum." she snapped. But Adora saw the glittering tears in Glimmer's large purple eyes. Adora watched her stomp away, rubbing the spot where her hand still stung. 

"Don't mind her Adora, she's just a cranky princess." Catra said. She put an arm around Adora's waist. 

"Yeah." Adora said, sighing. She didn't understand this princess ball. Bow and Glimmer had talked about this event like it was supposed to be fun. But so far it had been strange and very confusing, and Glimmer had seemed increasingly upset throughout it. 

"C'mon, let's dance. If you can give Glimmer and that flower princess a dance, don't I deserve one?" Catra teased. 

"Alright." Adora laughed, and took Catra by the hand. She felt more at ease here, with her fellow Horde compatriot who she understood. Although some of these princesses seemed nice, they couldn't be trusted. Adora couldn't wait to get home to their shared bed in the servants' quarters, and curl up with Catra, breathing in the warm, safe smell of her fur. 

She knew it was weird, but she leaned in and rubbed her cheek against Catra's, who spluttered. "Adora! you're so weird." but her voice was full of warmth. 

Adora's thoughts stopped when Catra brushed her lips against Adora's cheek. Catra had never kissed her before, not even a sweet, chaste kiss like this. Her agile feet followed Catra's throughout the steps with ease, even though her brain was broken, somehow having a million thoughts rush through it while also being empty and nonfunctional. 

'didCatrajustkissherDidCatralikeherlikethatDidSheLikeCatraLikeThatButWhatAboutGlimmerWasSheSupposedtoKissherback?!?!'

For the third time that night she felt something along her neck. This was the only time it didn't make her afraid though, because the feel of Catra's soft furry fingers trailing her skin was as familiar as breathing to her. Even when it slid under her collar, gently undoing the clasp and letting the metal circlet fall to the dance floor with a clang, she was not alarmed. And that collar was supposed to fry her with a fatal dose of electricity if it was tampered with or removed. 

"Yep, you're good to go." Catra said. With a quick flick of a claw she sent her own collar spinning away, ultimately clattering to the floor not far from Adora's. Two ultimate signs of bondage undone. 

The collars bounced a couple feet further from them as the dance floor shook. Adora had been trained as a soldier since birth, and she recognized the sound of explosions being detonated remotely, the booms echoing throughout the party space, pillars and pieces of ceiling crashing to the ground. 

Adora had no idea what was going on, but when Catra leapt onto a ladder descending from a ship overhead, and held out a hand for Adora to take, she didn't hesitate to grab on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, what did you think? was it what you expected of an All Princess Ball in this universe? I kind of wanted to make it a more lighthearted fun take than what happened in canon, but then realized that the Princess Ball being a disaster is probably a universal constant...


	12. After the Party

Mermista looked bored. Perfuma looked as tranquil as ever, but those who knew her well could see the signs of stress that had cracked through her facade. Frosta was stern but simmering inside. Entrapta had her goggles down and was playing with a tablet. Glimmer had an intense look in her eyes as she stared at everyone who entered the room. 

They weren't in a conference room at Bright Moon palace. The royal heads of state had instead convened in one in the castle at the Kingdom of Snows. Everyone was already in the area anyway, for the Princess Ball. Except for one person—Queen Angella. 

The door closed quietly as the missing Celestial Queen finally slipped into the room, wings trembling with exhaustion. She'd had to fly at breakneck speed to get there in time. As one of the most senior royals, a key figure in the Etherian-Horde Peace Agreement, and the owner of the two Horde slaves who'd carried out the attack on the Princess Ball, her presence was absolutely necessary. 

"Hello everyone." the queen said, seating herself at the table. She noticed one empty spot. It wasn't unusual for that spot to be empty— in fact, other than the last year, that spot had sat empty for more than a decade. It was the spot reserved for the royal head of the kingdom that held the Black Garnet. 

"Where is Princess Scorpia?" Queen Angella asked, dread welling within her. 

"She's been taken into custody." Frosta said.

Immediately the room exploded with voices. Loudest of all was Perfuma. 

"We have no evidence that she had anything to do with it!" she said, frustrated. 

Glimmer rolled her eyes. "Who else could it be? Unless you think one of _us_ zapped the collars?" 

"What about the lesser Princesses? There were hundreds of people at the ball." Perfuma countered. 

It was Spinnerella who spoke up, shaking her head in negation. "One of us couldn't have done it. With the way the spell on the collars was encrypted, only elemental magic could unlock it." 

"So it was Scorpia or one of us. And it's like, 99.99999999% probability it's Scorpia. You know, the EX-HORDE Scorpia?" Glimmer said. 

"That still leaves the tech side of the collars. No one should have been able to break through the protections coded into them. Entrapta wrote the code, after all." Bow pointed out. 

Mermista perked up a little from her slump of extreme boredom. There was a mystery...

"Oh, well of course, I undid them." Entrapta said. 

Ugh, there went that mystery. Mermista began listing towards the table again. 

"FOR ETHERIA'S SAKE, WHY?!" Glimmer yelled, her voice echoed by several hours shouting the same sentiment. Frosta looked nearly furious enough to eject the purple-haired princess from the room—or banish her to a dungeon. 

"Oh, I would think that's obvious." Entrapta said, and went back to fiddling with her tablet, totally oblivious to the murderous tension in the air. 

Queen Angella sighed. As the eldest and most level-headed, it would be up to her to wring an answer from the strange princess of Dryl. Everyone else was young and hot-tempered. Glimmer had risen from her chair and was standing with her fists clenched. 

"Please explain it to us anyway, Princess Entrapta. Why did you disable the collars of my two servants, Adora and Catra?" 

Entrapta slid her goggles up from her eyes and looked around the room. "Because Catra asked me to." she said quietly, her expression serious. Then she cackled madly. Bow had to physically grab hold of Glimmer to keep her from launching herself across the table at the Princess of Dryl, and he could only pray she didn't think to teleport over. 

Queen Angella rubbed her forehead. She could feel a stress headache coming on. Even Mermista looked grumpier at this development. 

Frosta rose from her seat. "I think it's obvious what we need to do. I move that we imprison Princess Entrapta as well, for violating the Peace Accords and the ancient rules against interference in other's Royal Kingdoms."

"Until Scorpia, no Princess has undergone any kind of legal punishment in hundreds of years. And even that was just paying reparations in turnips. We could be setting a dangerous precedent here." Queen Angella warned. 

"So what, we're just supposed to let Scorpia and Entrapta and anyone who wants just meddle in our kingdoms?" Glimmer shouted. 

"I'm not about jailing people, but like, it's not hard to _not _screw around with other kingdom's citizens...I really don't want people messing around in Salinas like that. So, do what you want." Mermista said.__

__"No. No Princesses should be in jail. " Perfuma stated firmly. "We are all sisters in Etheria."_ _

__"We could argue this all night. Let's just vote on it." Spinnerella said._ _

__"All in favor?" Hands went up._ _

__"All against?" Hands fell down, and went up._ _

__"So it's settled." Frosta said, her voice slightly smug. "Princess Entrapta will serve out her sentence along with Princess Scorpia."_ _

__"Wait, I don't get why I should go to jail. It was just turning the tech I made on and off...that's not illegal." Entrapta said._ _

__"Unfortunately, it kind of is." Bow said._ _

__"Oh boy. " Entrapta said. Nothing to do with people and their rules, written or unwritten, made sense. She just hoped one of the castle's servants would remember to take care of Emily..._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for updating late. I had problems with my spellchecker, among other things -_-


	13. Nightshade

Prison was surprisingly, not that bad. Horde prison cells were dark, cramped little spaces with bars trapping you inside. And the one in the Kingdom of Snows had not been much better, being a small, bare room with a locked door and a flap for food. But since being transferred into Bright Moon's custody, Scorpia had resided in a beautiful room full of soft furniture in hues of purple and pink. The food was absolutely delicious! And she had Princess Entrapta for company. 

They were divided by a magical barrier that surrounded their two halves of the room, but they could still talk even if they couldn't touch or pass items. And while Entrapta was definitely a little strange (okay, a LOT strange, but Scorpia didn't judge), she was enthusiastic and kind. So Scorpia nodded along and tried to understand what she was saying, even though half the words were unknown to Scorpia. What exactly was an atom-smashing particle accelerator, and why was Entrapta so keen to get one? 

Still, they were in prison, so while they passed their days pleasantly enough, it was still stifling and a bit boring. So Scorpia was grateful when one night, her sleepless boredom was alleviated by a mysterious slithering noise. 

She slipped out from under the covers and moved towards the room's window as far as she could, stopped only by the magic barrier. A quick glance at the other side of the room revealed Entrapta was still asleep, snoring softly and only half on the bed, part of her body supported by her strong prehensile hair. 

Scorpia watched the window slowly ease open, a green vine sneaking in under the crack between the sill. The vines slowly oozed into the room, as Scorpia's heart raced in her chest. It couldn't be...

Sure enough, before long, a shadow appeared in front of the window, standing atop the vines, and one skinny freckled Princess was stepping through the open window. Scorpia's favorite princess. 

"Perfuma!" Scorpia whispered, excited but keeping her voice down. 

"Scorpia!" Perfuma said, equally delighted. She rushed over towards the scorpion princess. 

"Stop!" Scorpia ordered. 

Perfuma paused in the moonlight, looking puzzled. 

"Don't run into the barrier. I don't know if it will alert the guards, but we shouldn't risk it." 

"A barrier. Of course." Perfuma sighed. 

"I'd definitely be giving you a big hug if not for it!" Scorpia assured her. 

"A hug sounds nice. I can only hope we'll be able to have it soon. I am so, so sorry Scorpia." the normally tranquil hippy princess looked distressed. 

"Don't be." Scorpia told her. "I was so relieved they just arrested me. What if they'd investigated? They could have found out everything!" 

"I know, but it should be me in there. You didn't do anything wrong." Perfuma said. 

"Only because I couldn't. You know the 'Etherian Peacekeepers' watched everything I did. It's so much better for everyone if you're the one who's free."

"I know. It just seems wrong...all those years stuck serving the Horde, being lied to...and now Etheria has you locked up like a criminal...and you're one of the kindest and most peaceful souls I've met. Your aura is beautiful." Perfuma said, her eyes welling in tears.

"Don't cry." Scorpia said, her own eyes getting a little damp in response. "I'm one of the luckiest people in Etheria. I got to meet you. And I believe you can change things. You, and Catra. And Entrapta if she ever gets out of here—"  
  
"And you." Perfuma insisted. "Speaking of getting out of here...."  
  
The two princesses began whispering in earnest, in the dark room full of shadows."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than I'd like, so I'll try and have the next one out this weekend.


	14. Unapologetic

The hippy dippy flower-loving princess would have been surprised to know she was the subject of an intense conversation elsewhere in the castle. 

Bow and Glimmer had tried to return to normal after the Princess Ball. They'd gone on artifact hunts, sat in on council meetings, had game night. But there'd been something still and heavy and awkward hanging over them. Right now they were sitting together in Glimmer's room. It was just like any other night, except for the silence that reigned as they painted figurines for the new game they'd be playing next week. 

Finally, Glimmer hit her breaking point. It couldn't go on like this much longer. She needed her friend. Her best friend. 

"There's something I need to tell you. I know things between us have been weird for a while now, since the Ball. I just wanted to say..." she started. 

Bow, believing he was totally in sync with where she was going, chimed in "I accept your—"

At the same time, Glimmer said "I forgive you."

Bow slapped down his paintbrush, the clack of it against the wooden table was harsh in the tense atmosphere. "Forgive me? For what?"

"For going with Perfuma to the All Princess Ball." Glimmer said. 

God, he loved Glimmer but sometimes she really hit him with some disturbing stuff. 

"Glimmer, I'm allowed to hang out with other people." he said. 

"Of course." Glimmer said. "But you can't deny we wouldn't have lost Adora and Catra if you'd just gone with me to the Ball." her voice held a touch of smugness. 

Bow pinched the bridge of his nose. Should he even respond to that? It was ridiculous. 

"You can't know that." Bow said, trying to be reasonable. 

"Of course I do. Adora wouldn't have even been there if I'd had you as my Plus One!" Glimmer said. 

"Nobody made you take your Horde slave to the Ball. You could have taken anyone else." Bow said, his patience wearing thin. 

"Who else could I have taken? Unlike you, Mr. Popular, I don't have any other friends." Glimmer said, tears coming to her eyes. The humiliation burned, remembering that feeling of being a total loser, and having Bow mad at her was terrifying. If he shut her out, or drifted away, she'd have no one. No one wanted her. 

This conversation was not going the way she'd envisioned it, at all. In her ideal scenario, Bow would gratefully apologize after she offered her forgiveness, and everything would go back to normal. 

"You could have taken lots of people. It's not like I know Perfuma that well. Reaching out and doing something with someone you don't know that well is how you make them into a friend Glimmer. Don't blame me because you won't branch out."

"So what? I'm a coward now and it's my fault you're my only friend?" Glimmer spat. 

"That is not what I meant. Don't twist things I've said. And stop trying to guilt-trip me for doing things with other people." Bow was working very hard to keep his voice level and even.  
  
"So I'm just supposed to be cool with you abandoning me to be alone during a once-in-a-decade social event that we'd been planning to attend together for ages? That's what friends do now?" 

"You were never abandoned! I wanted to hang out with you and Perfuma that night! And I checked with you beforehand about going with Perfuma, and you said it was fine. I can't read your mind Glimmer, I don't have that Princess power. If you tell me one thing and mean another I have no way of knowing that." 

Glimmer started crying. "Please don't be mad at me Bow."

Bow's grim expression softened. "I'm not mad. I'm just...worried. I love you, but I can't let you mistreat me."

"Mistreat you?! I haven't done anything to you!" Glimmer protested through her sobs. Her face was blotchy and tear-stained. 

"Okay, I don't even know what to say to that." Bow said. He started packing his things away. "Maybe it's best if we have some space for awhile. Think about things...we'll talk later. I don't know how to say this without sounding snarky, but I mean it: I'll be ready to forgive you, when you're ready to apologize." 

And with that, the only friend Glimmer had ever had, walked out the door.

* * *

Hours later, when she'd cried so much her eyes wouldn't produce any more water, and her throat was aching and hoarse from sobbing, she walked quietly out of her room. She didn't pause at the "prison" room, or head down to the kitchens for a snack. Nor did she head up to her mother's room to seek comfort and advice. 

Instead, she headed to the Palace records room. It was a cavernous, dusty place, filled with rows and rows of filing cabinets, with a few odd chairs and desks scattered about, presumably used by the clerks that kept all of these miscellaneous files in order.  
Inside this room, she knew, was a thick folder that detailed the name of every Horde slave in Bright Moon, along with some life details (age, former rank, etc) and their current owner. She found the folder she was looking for easily, and flipped steadily through its many pages until she hit the "S" names. Finally, she found the one she wanted, a slave with a name she'd heard her mother and aunt mention before in an absolutely frosty tone: Shadow Weaver.


	15. This is Not a Democracy

Catra lounged on her throne, sharpening her nails idly. OK, so it wasn't really a throne. It was just the largest and most ostentatious chair in the conference room of the bunker/cave base they were currently working from. 

Perfuma had offered to shelter them but Plumeria didn't really have much of a military-industrial infrastructure. Dryl, with its mineral resources and hordes of robots to be co-opted for surveillance and warfare, was a far better choice of a military springboard, even with Entrapta captured and potentially compromised (by her own social ineptitude rather than cowardice or a traitorous heart). 

There was technically a temporary governor ruling the kingdom until Entrapta was released, but Catra wasn't worried about him. So many Etherians relied on magic instead of tech, that it was a piece of cake for her and Adora to remain undetected while siphoning resources. They may not have been eggheads, but they were raised in the Horde and using machinery and computers was second-nature to them. 

Catra was not alone in her throne room, although she wished she was. Adora was blathering on and on about her proposed plan for taking on Bright Moon, which Catra had already mentally nixed. The other recovered Horde members and the liasons from Plumeria and the Dryl Resistance were paying rapt attention. Adora was always good at commanding attention. 

Finally, Adora ended her little speech and looked up at Catra, eyes gleaming in that big dumb jock head of hers, like she really thought Catra would be impressed. 

Catra ended that idea with a simple "No." Ahh, the power of that one short word...

"What? But they have Entrapta—and Scorpia! We have to rescue them." Adora said. 

"And we will." Catra said, sighing. "But there's no reason to waste resources on a straight-forward assault when stealth will serve us better." 

"Stealth? And how long will that take?" Adora demanded. 

"A couple weeks? Everything should be ready by then." Catra said, purposefully not giving her her full attention. It was Catra that was responsible for them being free. Like hell she was going to let Adora play the hero and the Bright Shining Star again, when Catra had done all the hard work. 

"WEEKS?! They could be dead by then!" Adora said. 

It was all Catra could do to not facepalm at that. Sure, the Princesses were pretty shitty (the ones on her side being obvious exceptions) but sometimes she couldn't believe Adora was this dumb. Or maybe Shadow Weaver had given her an extra magic push as kids to really absorb the propaganda, and not bothered with Catra, who she hated and viewed as a waste. 

But the Royalty seemed like just regular people, with extra powers, and there was no reason to expect they were doing anything worse to Entrapta and Scorpia than the Horde did to its prisoners. 

"I really don't think Sparkles and Angel Queen are going to murder two Princesses." Catra said. 

The Plumerian liason spoke up. "It's true man. The Bright Moon people are like, super harsh, but they wouldn't do that."

"So it's settled." Catra said. "We use stealth, and get in and them out without a single casualty or waste of ammunition." 

The Plumerian liaison shivered at the word "ammunition." 

"No it's not settled!" Adora said. "We haven't taken a vote or anything."

At that, Catra stopped idly tipping her chair back, and learning forward. "There isn't going to be a vote. I decided." she said. 

"And why do you get to decide?" Adora snapped. "Weren't we supposed to rule together?"

" _I_ get to decide because I organized and coordinated our escape, while you were playing with Princess Pink and looking for Shadow Weaver of all people." Catra said, her tone low.

"You were the one crawling into her bed every night." Adora said.

"That was a prank!" Catra looked around at the other faces at the table, who were all studiously looking at the ground or the ceiling. "A prank. Unlike when you were making doe eyes at her..."  
"I was not!" Adora protested. 

"Sure, whatever. Anyway, we're doing _my_ plan, and when you show yourself capable of doing something other than acting heroic and looking pretty, then _you_ can make the decisions."

"You really think I'm pretty?" Adora asked, smiling brightly.

Catra did facepalm then.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you think in the comments. Feedback helps us authors stay inspired to keep writing! :)


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